Come To Feast of Tabernacles And Become Happier and Richer Spiritually
CHURCH HISTORY DEMONSTRATES THAT THOSE WHO FEASTED GREW
The history of the True Church of God during the period of 1934 thru 1968 found that those who attended the Feast of Tabernacles grew spiritually. The church was small until the numbers attending the Feast grew. People came together and enjoyed spiritual camaraderie. Obeying God and attending his annual meeting is a blessing. Following all of God's Laws and commands are good for us. The Feast of Tabernacles really built the church and thereby aided in the growth of many and the spreading of the gospel. These are God's Feast Days and He knows what is good for us. The world thinks Xmas and Halloween etc. are good for us. They have no idea, they are so deceived.
Lev 23:1 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
2. Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, The Feasts of the LORD, which you shall proclaim, holy convocations, even these are My appointed feasts.
We know that Christ is the God who spoke to Moses and the others. See Acts 10:1-5. These are God's or Christ's appointed feasts. These are not the Jews Feasts, though they keep them, they belong to Christ. He set us an example of keeping them. The Isrealites lived in temporary dwellings, booths. The Feast of Tabernacles pictures God's people entering the land of plenty. They were taught to rejoice. They were commanded to rejoice. They were required to save part of the harvest for this celebration. It was the biggest physical feast in God's calendar. However, it was not just a vacation. They were to learn of God's Laws and ways of life. They were to rejoice and learn.
De 16:15 Seven days you shall keep a solemn feast to the LORD your God in the place which the LORD shall choose. Because the LORD your God shall bless you in all your increase, and in all the works of your hands, therefore you shall surely rejoice.
The feast is a time to rejoice with all the bounty of the Fall harvest, a time to picture the millennial paradise coming soon. When Christ comes again he will usher in the millennial reign of paradise foreshadowed by the Feast of Tabernacles. The feast is God's festival.
Leviticus 23:1-4 NKJV 1 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2 "Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: 'The feasts of the LORD, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts... 4 'These are the feasts of the LORD, holy convocations which you shall proclaim at their appointed times.
God mentions it twice that they are HIS Holy Days. Therefore we will be blessed when we celebrate them.
JESUS CHRIST ATTENDED THIS HOLY DAY AT THE RISK OF HIS LIFE
Jesus set us an example of how important the Feast is to us. Christ attended the Feast at the risk of His life. Some of us have gone to the Feast of Tabernacles at risk to our jobs or careers, and have been blessed for so doing. But Jesus risked his life to attend! If the Holy Days, commanded by God, in the Old Testament and mentioned in the New, were to be done away, why would Jesus have kept them at the risk of His life?
John 7:1 After these things Jesus walked in Galilee, for He did not desire to walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill Him... disciples also may see the works that You do, The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it, that its works are evil. 8 You go up to this feast; I am not yet going up to this feast; for My time is not yet fulfilled.
Jesus knew that the ruling authorities were planning his destruction out of mad jealousies and evil spiritual influences. So he avoided the normal caravans of festival travelers from his region.
9 And saying He these things to them, He remained in Galilee.
10 But when His brothers had gone up, then He also went up to the feast, not openly, but as in secret.
Jesus came to the Feast secretly but he did not let anything deter him from attending.
John 7:37 NKJV 37 On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me...
Christ risked his life to attend and speak at the Feast of Tabernacles because it is a powerful, positive uplift to true worshipers of God. Christ could get crowds without attending the Feast. But he set the example for us. The people had all heard that the leaders wanted to execute Jesus.
Joh 7:13 However, no one spoke openly of Him, because of the fear of the Jews.
The leadership of the nation of Judah was frightened of Jesus popularity with most Jews and his obviously powerful teachings and miracles. Yet he came to the feast in Jerusalem anyway.
14 Now about the middle of the feast, Jesus went up into the temple and taught... 26 But lo, he speaks publicly, and they say nothing to him. Perhaps the rulers truly know that this is the Christ indeed?
The entire chapter screams at us that Jesus took the Feast of Tabernacles very seriously. He would not allow it to pass without his also adding to the richness of the feast.
THE APOSTLE PAUL STRUGGLED TO KEEP THE FEAST AT GREAT RISK ALSO
Paul was speaking in the synagogue converting those called as the Feast of Tabernacles approached.
Remember Paul is the author of most of the New Testament. People today misunderstand his words and use him to justify doing away with the Holy Days of God. However note Paul's actions.
Acts 18:19 And he came to Ephesus and left them there. But he himself entered into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews.
20 And they asking him to stay a longer time with them, he did not consent, 21 but took leave of them, saying, I must by all means keep this feast that is coming in Jerusalem, but I will return again to you, God willing. And he sailed from Ephesus.
If the New Testament Church had already done away with these holy days doesn't his rushing away from an opportunity to make converts seem strange? Paul, if he did not know, would soon discover that he was a marked man in Jerusalem. The same leadership that killed Christ also fears him and his ministry more than the other Apostles. Remember that Christianity was considered then, as a sect within Judaism and Paul wants his teaching to be heard as part of the richness of the biggest God commanded festival of the year.
31 Then, indeed, the churches had rest throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria, and having been built up. And having gone on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were increased.
Some of the other Apostles were in the city but Paul leaving gave them rest because he was hard to refute. Therefore Paul like Jesus, faced great dangers in going to the Feast of Tabernacles but went anyway. Paul said not to let the outside pagan world judge us regarding holy days , food and Sabbaths. Paul faced the big lie in his day as we have endured in the modern age. His fame was such that his arrival in Jerusalem would cause a great upheaval. But note even some believers had been influenced by the big lie, which stated that Paul said God's Laws were done away. He made an exception for Gentiles regarding circumcision but enemies of the truth distorted his actions. NOTE ACTS 21:20-24. Paul even kept the atonement fast.
Acts 27:9 NKJV 9 Now when much time had been spent, and sailing was now dangerous because the Fast was already over, Paul advised them,
This would include Paul keeping the laws regarding annual Sabbaths such as the Feast of Atonement and Tabernacles. Some of the better commentaries admit the obvious that Paul and the New Testament Church of the first century kept the holy days that are in the Bible. They call it the primitive church. The scholars admit that in later years this adherence was changed. The apostles kept the holy days and so should we. THE FEAST WILL MAKE US HAPPY AND CLOSER TO GOD AND THE CHURCH.
